Fireworks, food & freedom were the anthem for many Americans this past weekend as we celebrated our 244th Independence Day. People referenced the bald eagle more than usual, broke out the stars & stripes outfits, and enjoyed days with family and friends. While the Fourth may have been a brief reprieve from the chaos of 2020, there is no shortage of heartache surrounding us. You may have found yourself recently stressed and saddened by schedule changes, sickness, difficult decisions, and the brokenness of our world. Sister, I am with you. As someone who normally thrives during seasons of change, this year has me wondering what my role is and how I will be led to serve others. The reality is that since you and I are still breathing, we have a purpose to fill as a daughter of the King.
First, you and I have eternal life and freedom when our soul’s security rests firmly with the Lord. Because Jesus frees us from anything meant to enslave us, we can rest easily knowing that “the heart of the man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9), and that if we are spending time in the Word and in prayer, we will find wisdom and guidance to move us forward to what we have been called to.
Pastor Chuck Swindoll stated, “You may feel unqualified, uneducated, untrained, under-gifted, or even unworthy…those are excellent qualifications for God to do a mighty work.” As we see in David’s life in 1 Samuel 17, he was not the oldest or most qualified individual to kill the mighty Goliath. Because David was called by God, he was qualified to defeat a giant warrior and eventually become king of Israel.
In Exodus 3:11 we see Moses doubting his calling to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt, to which God stated, “…therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Exodus 4:12). Because Moses was called by God, he was qualified by God to bring the Israelites through Egypt and the Red Sea to the promised land in Israel.
In Romans 1:1-2, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, [was] called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.” Because Paul was called by God, he was qualified to do the work of preaching the good news of Jesus to the Romans.
In Acts, Peter and John were thrown in jail because they were preaching the gospel. The jailers “saw the courage of Peter and John and realized they were unschooled, ordinary men, and were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Because Peter and John were called by Jesus, they were qualified to preach the good news, establish the church, and write letters that eventually became part of the Bible.
No matter how you feel moving forward for the latter half of this year, you are never too [young, tired, uneducated, etc] to be effective doing Kingdom work. Where you have been called by God, sister, is where God will use you. We can hold onto the freedom of not always knowing our next step, resting in the assurance that our heavenly Father is in control of it all. We can take heart in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, for “He who calls you is faithful, and He will surely do it.”
Pray with me as we are reminded that God alone makes us qualified for that to which we have been called.
Lord, today we come to you feeling the burden of this year. We thank you that this world is not our forever dwelling place, and that your Son sacrificed all to save us from a life of sin. Though this year brought many unexpected challenges, we thank you for the reminder that you are the only safe space for our faith, trust, and hope to be placed. We pray that you would give us wisdom if we are following a new calling, finishing an old mission, or in the middle waiting for answers. We pray that you would open our eyes to your plans for us, and that we would wholeheartedly trust in You as we anxiously await your return. You are deserving of praise in every moment of our lives, Lord. In your precious and holy name, amen.
Katlynn Hutchcraft is a follower of Jesus, wife, dental hygienist and graduate student. She and her husband are members of a local church, where they serve in the children’s ministry and in the young married couples’ class. She is passionate about education and increasing access to healthcare, creating community for women in Southern Illinois, and spending quality time with family and friends. In her spare time she enjoys a good book and coffee, crafting, and thrift shopping.
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